Vacuum well cleaner



March ll, 1952 J. J. SANTIAGO VACUUM wELL CLEANER Filed June 28, 1946 2 SHEETS--SHEET l @M56 J L29/171460 N VEN TOR.

froP/VEY March 11, 1952 Filed June 28, 1946 J. J. SANTIAGO VACUUM WELL CLEANER 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 v #las l 04071460 A* IN V EN TOR.

,4 7- rop/wry Patented Mar. l, 1952 VACUUM WELL CLEANER James J. Santiago, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Grant Oil Tool Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 28, 1946, Serial No. 680,119

10 Claims. (Cl. 166-20) This invention relates to improvements in well cleaning apparatus of the general type embodying a low pressure or evacuated chamber into which a well fluid charge is taken under such pressure diierential and velocity conditions as will displace sand or other materials from the zone to be cleaned. Particularly the invention aims to provide an improved apparatus, especially adaptable for perforation cleaning, characterized by its capacity for simple placement and manipulation to receive and induce an instantaneous displacement of uid and clogging particles through the perforations.

My major object is to provide an improved cleaner in which the charge receiving chamber is progressively enlarged and evacuated by a line operated piston, the chamber initially being closed by a suitable type of closure, preferably a rupturable disc, capable of eiecting a sudden opening of the chamber to produce instantaneous high velocity induction of uid.

Specificially the invention contemplates initially closing the lower end of the charge receiving chamber with a frangible disc, and by upward movement of the piston, producing in the chamber an evacuated condition until the pressure diierential applied to the disc ruptures the latter to suddenly open the chamber.

As will appear, provision is made forcommunicating the displacement chamber suction to the space between packers applied to the perforated section of the pipe, and for trapping the induced charge.

These as well as additional features and objects of the invention will be understood to better advantage from the following detaileddescription of the typical embodiment shown by the accom- .panying drawings, in which:

Figs. l, 2 and 3 are sectional, vertically continuing views showing the cleaner with its parts positioned to close the loading chamber;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section showing the loading chamber opened to receive the well-fluid charge;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the disc-receiving portion of the tool taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

As constructed typically for perforation cleaning, the tool assembly, generally indicated at I9, is shown to be lowered on wire line II Within a section of the casing I2, the perforations I3 of which are to be cleaned by inward uid displacement and dislodgement of clogging particles as will hereinafter appear. The cleaner comprises a body or loading tube I4 which includes an` upper tubular section I5 on which is threaded the head I6, the lower end of the tube being threaded at` IGI into a second section I1, one side of which contains the loading chamber discharge opening I8.

section 2l, to the lower end of which is attached the shoe 22. Tube 2| carries two vertically spaced pairs of packers at 23 and 24, the former including the rubber packers 25 retainedbetween rings 26, the assembly being conned' between coupling 20 and the xed collar 21. The.

lower pair at 24 similarly includes the individual rubber packers '28 retained between rings 29, withA the assembly conned between shoe 22 and thev xed ring 30.

A by-pass tube 3| having its lower end receivedl within the shoe 22, and sealed at the outside by packing ring 32, is connected at its upper end above the top packers 23 with a fitting 33 con-` tained within the nipple I9, the bore 34 of the litting communicating with the well space outside the cleaner, through the lateral nipples 35.( The annular space at 36 between the by-pass tube. 3l and the body section 2| is in communication with the space at 31 between the packer assemblies 23 and 24, through openings 38 in tube-'2lbetween the packers. Space 36 is communicable with the loading` chamber 4f! within tube I5. byway of vertical passages 4I in opposite sides of the tting 33 as best illustrated in Fig. 6.

The body section I1 carries within its lower enda suitable check valve, generally indicated at 43, and comprising typically a body 44 threaded at 45 into the lower end of the section, the body passage 4B being closed against downward uid flow therethrough by check valve 41 retained within the cage 48. Within its upper end portion, the body section I1 contains a pair of shoulders adapted to support a rupturable closure, typically a frangible disc 5 I of the usual type and composition used in well cleaning devices. The'l disc 5I is insertable upon the shoulders through opening IB, after which the opening is closed by a vertically slidable sleeve 52 seating at 53 and 54, respectively, on shouldered surfaces of section I1.

The line I I is connected through the socket 55 and adaptor 5B with rod 51 carrying at its lower end a piston head assembly including the packer section 58, ring 59 and head 60 threaded-on the reduced diameter end 6I of the rod. The head The lower end of section I1 is connected by way of nipple I9 and coupling 2li with the bottom tubular anad packer carrying 60 is shaped to form an annular tapered surface 62 of the reduced diameter end portion 63 and seating, in the position of Fig. 1, against the tapered surface 64 of bushing 65. Preferably the bottom surfaces of the head and bushing are substantially flush, to give continuous support for the disc I as the latter is pressed by the well fluid pressure against the surfaces. The head I6 contains an opening 66 through which fluid may displace from tube I5 above the piston, as the latter is raised.

In considering the operation of the cleaner, assume the parts to be positioned as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and to be lowered (with the aid of added weight on the line II, if necessary) to a position bringing the space between the packers 23 and 24 opposite a perforated section of the casing to be cleaned. As the tool is lowered down through the casing, the well fluid is permitted to by-pass the packers up through tube 3| and laterally out through the nipples 35. With the cleaner in operating position, pull on the line I I raises the piston within the loading chamber 40, the body and packer assembly however remaining -stationary within the casing by reason of the `combined effects of the well fluid pressure and friction engagement of the packers with the casing, resisting its upward displacement as the piston is raised within the loading chamber, see Fig. 4. The well fluid pressure keeps the disc 5I tightly seated against the bushing 65 until the differential in pressures below and above the disc reaches a value at which the disc may be predetermined to fail, whereupon the disc ruptures and allows sudden admission of well fluid through the perforations I3, space 3'I between the packers,

openings 38, passages 33 and 4I, and thence upwardly past the check valve 43 into the loading chamber. Upward movement of the piston may be continued until it engages the head I6. Upon its entry to the loading chamber, the induced well fluid charge is trapped Iby the sealing of check valve 41, whereupon the cleaner is pulled to the ground surface. Then by raising the sleeve 52, the fluid charge is dumped through the opening I8, whereupon another disc may be inserted to condition the cleaner for a successive operation.

Iclaim:

1; A well cleaning tool comprising a tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume, and a disc initially engaged by the piston and closing the bottom of said chamber, said disc being suddenly rupturable by the well fluid pressure after upward movement of the piston in the chamber to admit well fluid thereto, and charge retaining means in the body.

2. A well cleaning tool comprising a tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operably from the ground surface and movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume, a packer carried on the exterior of said body and engageable with a perforated well pipe, a bottom closure disc for said chamber initially supported against the lower end of said piston and rupturable by virtue of the well pressure after upward movement of the piston in the chamber away from the closure disc to admit a well fluid charge thereto, a charge retaining check valve in said body below the closure disc, a by-pass tube within with the exterior thereof above and below the packer, the space between the body and tube being communicable with the exterior of the body below the packer, and means forming a passage within said body through which said chamber is communicable through the check valve with the space between said body and tube.

3. A well cleaning tool comprising a tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operable from the ground surface and movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume, a pair of vertically spaced packers carried on the exterior of said body at opposite sides of an opening therein and engageable with a perforated well pipe, a bottom closure disc for said chamber initially supported against the piston and sealing the chamber, said disc being rupturable by well fluid pressure upon upward movement of the piston in the chamber away from the closure disc, a charge receiving check valve in said body below the closure, a by-pass tube within and spaced from 4said body and communicable with the exterior thereof below and above the packers, the space between the body and tube being communicable with the exterior of the body between the packers, and means in said body forming a passage through which said chamber is communicable through the check valve with the space between said body and tube.

4. A well cleaning tool comprising a tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operable from the ground surface and movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume and to thereby decrease the pressure in said chamber in accordance with said volume change, a closure initially closing the bottom of said chamber and suddenly rupturable by the well fluid pressure to admit fluid to the chamber in response to a decrease in the chamber pressure to a predetermined value by said increase in chamber volume, and charge retaining means in the body.

5. A well cleaning tool comprising a tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operable from the ground surface and movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume and to thereby decrease the pressure in said chamber in accordance with said volume change, a disc initially closing the bottom of said chamber and suddenly rupturable by the well fluid pressure to admit fluid to the chamber in response to a decrease in the chamber pressure to a predetermined value by said increase in chamber volume, and a charge retaining check valve in said body below the closure. y

6. A well cleaning tool comprising Ia tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operable from the ground surface and movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume and to thereby decrease the pressure in said chamber in accordance with said volume change, a packer carried on the exterior of said body and engageable with a perforated well pipe, and a bottom closure for said chamber initially sealing the chamber from communication with a passage in said body communicable with the exterior of said body below the packer, said closure being operable by and spaced from said body and communicable the well pressure to suddenly open and admit well fluid through the passage into the chamber in response to a decrease in the chamber pressure to a predetermined value by said increase in chamber volume, said closure being constructed to remain closed during substantial upward movement of the piston so that the chamber pressure decreases to a value producing an instantaneous high velocity surge of iiuid into the chamber upon opening of the closure, said tool including charge retaining means in said body,

7. A well cleaning tool comprising a tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operable from the ground surface and 'movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume and to thereby decrease the pressure in said chamber in accordance with said volume change, a packer carried on the exterior of said body and engageable with a perforated well pipe, a bottom closure for said chamber initially sealing the chamber from communication with a passage in said body communicable with the exterior of said body below the packer, said closure being operable by the well pressure to suddenly open and admit well fluid through the passage into the chamber in response to a decrease in the chamber pressure to a predetermined value by said increase in chamber volume, and means within said body forming a by-pass passage communicable with the exterior of the body above and below said packer, said tool including charge retaining means in said body.

8. A well cleaning tool comprising a tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operable from the ground surface and movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume and to thereby decrease the pressure in said chamber in accord-ance with said volume change, a pair of vertically spaced packers carried on the exterior of said body and engageable with a perforated weil pipe, a bottom closure for said chamber initially sealing the chamber from communication with a passage in said body communicable with the exterior of said body between the packers, said closure being rupturable by the well pressure to suddenly open and admit well fluid through the passage into the chamber in response to a decrease in the chamber pressure to a predetermined value by said increase in chamber Volume, and a charge retaining check vvalve in the body.

9. A well cleaning tool comprising a tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operable from the ground surface and movable upwardly within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume and to thereby decrease the pressure in said chamber in accordance with said volume change, a packer carried on the' exterior of said body and engageable with a perforated well pipe, a bottom closure for said chamber operable to suddenly open and admit a well fluid charge into the chamber in response to a decrease in the chamber pressure to a predetermined value by said increase in chamber volume,

a charge retaining check valve in said body below the closure, a by-pass tube within and spaced from said body and communicable with the exterior thereof above and below the packer, the space between the body and tube being communicable with the exterior of the body below the packer, and means forming a passage through which said chamber is communicable through the check valve with the space between said bodt and tube.

10. A well cleaning tool comprising Ia tubular body forming a charge receiving chamber, a piston operable from the ground surface and movable upwardly Within said body to enlarge said chamber from a reduced volume to an extended full charge receiving volume and to thereby decrease the pressure in said chamber in accordance with said volume change, a packer carried on the exterior of said body and engageable with a perforated well pipe, a bottom closure disc for said chamber rupturable by the well pressure to admit a well fluid charge into the chamber in response to a decrease in the chamber pressure to a predetermined value by said increase in chamber volume, a charge retaining check valve in said body below the closure, a by-pass tube within and spaced from said body and communicable with the exterior thereof above and below the packer, the space between the body and tube being communicable with the exterior of the body below the packer, and means forming a passage through which said chamber is communicable through the check valve with the space between said body and tube.

JAMES J. SANTIAGO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 193,915 Birge Aug. 7, 1877 880,462 Palm Feb. 25, 1908 2,005,299 Penrod June 18, 1935 2,012,119 Candee Aug. 20, 1935 2,083,714 Keeler June 15, 1937 2,103,475 Londsly Dec. 28, 1937 2,166,715 f Cavins July 18, 1939 2,330,144 Powers Sept. 21, 1943 2,364,464 Moore Dec, 5, 1944 

